If initially we sensed his presence around us, and later within us as bliss, or energy or vibration, during puja, while lighting the homa, while chanting his name and those of the Siddhas, and while chanting his mantra, as we slowly and gradually left all rituals behind and moved away on a journey that took us within as in Yoga, we have come to experience this same energy and vibration that once stood outside of us, now arise within us.
As we took up the practice of Yoga especially pranayama guided by the Siddhas in the Nadi initially and later from Tavayogi and Acharya Gurudasan and recently directly from the Siddhas, we have come to see extensive changes within. Initially, we were asked to clear the nasal tracts and nerves doing Nadi Sudhi and were asked to either focus on a thought or a spot, and breathe in and out, and slowly move within by just becoming aware of the breath and observing it. If initially we were asked to place effort in bringing ourselves to first sit down for at least 12 minutes at a time, and try to go within with the aid of the pranayama techniques given, these days with practice and the grace of the Siddhas that comes as a result of our worship, we are brought to notice the breath as it continuously nudges us. We are forced to heed and take note of it and sit immediately even in the midst of our daily activity.
As their grace deepens, a slight throb is felt in the sirasu or head at exactly the fontanels or the soft spot located in newborns. This throb nudges us to take notice of it and become aware. All these now happen without our doing, effort, or attempt. As Tavayogi says our effort towards reaching the goal is only till the second chakra or Svathisthana, and that from there on the divine shall lead us, with their grace breathing has become spontaneous.
Yoga asanas or postures too move into a spontaneous mode nothing like what we had practiced. The body gets twisted without our doing and we let out cries of joy for no reason. We are lifted off the ground as in levitation and thrown off the ground if we lose our guards.
We were all in the state of samadhi once upon a time in our mother's womb. We were sustained by the very consciousness or prapanjam. There was no breathing externally as we do now. The first breath was only taken once we came out to the world and the cycle never stopped since then. But when our time is up and we have exhausted our given amount of breath it leaves us never to return. We then die. We have lost touch with our origin and source of energy and became dependant on food, water, heat, air from our surrounding earth, water, fire, and air. These, these days have become contaminated. We had stopped tapping the pure energy from consciousness after taking birth. With the guru as the guide, Yoga as a tool, and the grace of the divine, we are set back on track and shown the path back to consciousness. Rituals are only good till we gain their grace. Once their grace falls on us we can safely let go of them.
Just as the initiation mantra is given to create the first link between us and the deity or the guru, the idea of getting us to do pranayama is to create a link or channel between us and the cosmos, universe, and consciousness or prapanjam. Once the link is established we are to enhance and expand the intake and the amount of prana by tapping from it.
Initially, intake of air, breath, and prana is jeopardized due to our past lifestyle, diet, and mode of breathing. The Siddhas help us correct them if we are willing to make some changes and willing to sacrifice and break away from the unholy part of our alliance with our senses. We can easily follow the three dictates as depicted in "the Japanese pictorial maxim of three wise monkeys embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"."
Mizaru, who sees no evil, covering his eyesKikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears andIwazaru, who speaks no evil, covering his mouth. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/)
But we struggle with the tongue to reorientate it to accept only sattvic food. After having cleared past the first door at the mouth, we need to travel further inside and do further clearing of toxins or kalivu accumulated over time. This process of house clearing is initiated initially by consuming several herbs. This is amplified further once the clearing starts to happen spontaneously and on its own with the grace of the divine. The next door at the nostril, has to be cleared of mucus and accumulation of other fine debris. The Yogic breathing technique, Nadi Suddhi helps to clear the nostrils. The Neti pot is used to clear nasal congestion and drain away mucus. With the doors wide open now, the Prana that is inhaled expands and move within to clear further blockages in the passages and airways. The prana expands accordingly to our effort and practice. Once the house and its pathways are clear prana flows uninterrupted at all times. The divine aids in channeling the prana energy correctly to reach all parts of the body. Only then can we go within safely to meditate without distractions or harm.
Having created a clear passage for it to travel, with their grace the breath that chose to move either in Ida and Pingala every two hours once, with practice now travel through the sushumna or central Nadi, where we observe that breath flows clear in both nostrils. Soon this happens spontaneously too. We feel a cool draft of air passing through both nostrils and we are called to sit and meditate at this moment as meditation shall come easy then. A cool sensation drifts through the entire body. All the senses are enhanced. Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch perform at their optimum. Prana or the life force then travels to the Ajna where it knocks and nudges its door. When the divine grace comes to open it when we are ready, it continues to travels steadily to the higher reaches of the head and stalls at the suzhimunai, now knocking and nudging on yet another door - the 10th. Again with their grace, the door is opened to let in the cosmic consciousness and energy. It begins to flow in uninterrupted. Tavayogi says that as the consciousness or prapanjam begins to fill the entire body, our dependency on external breath and breathing declines. We are told that of the initial 16 angulam or measurement of prana taken in 12 is retained and 4 wasted. Soon the intake reduces and so does our dependency on it. As we sit for long hours breath is not wasted as in doing an activity. Finally, the breath that comes in never leaves. Kumbakam happens on its own, the reason the Siddhas do not advocate holding of the breath. He goes into samadhi, fully feeding on consciousness and one with the prapanjam. If he chooses he breaks away from his state of samadhi to walk the earth again performing miracles. Yogi Ramsuratkumar performed these feats. Once after going into samadhi he stood at his disciple Supramania Swami's door knocking on it. My guru opened the door to be met by his beloved guru who passed a painting of his in his hands and turned to leave laughing all the way till he disappeared into the darkness. He did another feat when both Swami and I were chanting the Yogi's name. He joined in on the chanting for some 10 minutes.
For those who say they have no time or find it a battle to settle down and sit quietly trying very much to concentrate and go into a meditative state, seek the divine guidance first before you attempt it on your own. You only need to open up and ask. Many cannot bring themselves to submit to the idea of God and guru due to their ego. In submitting our ego to both God and the guru the path is cleared for the transmission to take place. Our ego that appears and raises its hood shall continuously be trashed by the divine and the guru who watch over us. Once the grace of the divine touches us and comes within it all happens spontaneously from that moment on.